


Written In Ink

by Bluebell Barricade (FuzzyPurplePenguins)



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Everyone's A Big Happy Family (TM), F/F, F/M, I'm so mean to characters, M/M, Pining, alex is a little shit, especially the OCs, jean is not particularly nice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-22
Updated: 2015-09-22
Packaged: 2018-04-22 21:17:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4850849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FuzzyPurplePenguins/pseuds/Bluebell%20Barricade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charles convinces Erik not to go out on his own, and the X-Men and the Brotherhood return to the Xavier Institute.</p><p>This is the story of how, a year later, two mutant twins come to the Institute and find their place in the world.</p><p>Oh, and soulmates are a thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Written In Ink

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GothMaureen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothMaureen/gifts).



> First things first. I wrote this almost two years ago, if I'm remembering correctly, and this was the first Marvel fic I ever finished + I wrote it in like two weeks so, go easy on me.
> 
> I did re-read it and edited any errors I found so there's that.
> 
> While I don't claim to be an expert on all things Marvel, I love the First Class storyline and Scott is my (angsty, angsty) bae, plus soulmate fics are my bread and butter, so that's how this was born.
> 
> The twins - Alana and Kiley Echo - are my creation, while Lola Brewer belongs to my bff GothMaureen.
> 
> This fic was meant to be the first piece to a series that would tie together the First Class story with the MCU (hence Clint's presence), but I'm not sure if I'll ever get around to finishing the series. So I thought what the hell, let's just archive it on the internet forevs.
> 
> I love this fic. I know it has it's flaws - every story does - but I have such a hard time *finishing* long fics that I become super attached to them when I do. Besides, I love Alana and Kiley, and I want to share them with anyone who's willing to keep an open mind and read about them.
> 
> One last thing: I'm currently posting this on mobile because I don't feel like going to get my laptop and doing fancy editing. It's almost two a.m. for me, I'll fix it when I wake up.

xxxxxxxxxx

When Alana wakes, curled up around Kiley with soft sheets under their legs and sun pouring in through the curtains, she's confused. It takes a few seconds to remember she's no longer in the crappy old foster home, barely living and being shunted for being 'different'.

Instead, she's at the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters.

Gifted Youngsters. *Mutants*, like her and Kiley.

She inhales slowly, before nudging her twin awake.

"Whassit-" Kiley grumbles, before opening her eyes. "...Oh."

"Yeah," Alana curls her feet up under her, fingers clenching at the satin sheets. "We're-"

"Home?" Kiley offers, and presses her fingers against the bow-and-arrow mark tattooed on the back of her wrist.

Home. "Sure," Alana says, shrugging her shoulders and nothing else. "Sounds good to me."

"Home it is," Kiley says softly, before turning her eyes towards Alana. "Uhm. About yesterday?"

"Don't," The slightly shorter of the two blondes feels her throat choke up a little bit, tears prickling the back of her eyes. "Please, Kiles. You saw his mark. It doesn't belong to me."

"Yours belongs to him," Kiley says fiercely, and grabs Alana's wrists. "There's been cases of multiple soulmarks, or even changing soulmarks before-"

"Just leave it," Alana says, shoving at the sheets and stumbling up on to her feet, blindly heading for the suitcase that holds her clothes.

"Lana-"

"LEAVE IT!" She screams, words ripping out of her throat as the Blue Matter suddenly seeps from her skin, floating up in the air dangerously.

 

^My dear,^ Professor Charles' voice curls in the back of her mind, cool and soft compared to the warm comfort of Kiley's mental projection. ^Please calm yourself. Your abilities are spiking dangerously and, to be frank, the wake-up call was quite unneeded.^

The strawberry blonde leans against the wall, fists rubbing at the wood paneling. *Sorry, Professor.*

^It is quite alright, my dear. If you and your sister would join us in the courtyard when you are ready...^

"We're wanted for lessons," Alana says out loud, pulling on jeans and shoving at her blue tank top until it falls comfortably around her torso.

"Are you-" Kiley starts, and Alana shakes her head, fiercely. 

"I'm not mad. Just leave it," The matter-manipulator says, and tugs on her rainbow-patterned blue Converse before heading out the door.

xxxxxxxxxx

"I'm Alex. Alex Summers," A bleach-blonde male, a couple of years older than her, says, swinging an arm around her shoulders. "Let's be friends."

Alana does a double-take at him, taking note of the 3D grey rings that expand out around his left eye. 

"It's my soulmark," Alex says easily, steering her towards the area of the courtyard where all the other young residents are lounging, no doubt waiting for Professor Erik and Professor Charles to arrive. "Got a problem with it?"

"I think it's kind of cool," Alana says, and reaches up to poke the outermost ring, above his eyebrow. "What does it stand for?"

"Have you met Banshee yet?" Alex smirks, and Alana nods once, before catching on.

"Oooooh. So, it's like the sonic sound waves he emits?" She pauses, tilting her head briefly before smirking back. "Yep. Totally cool."

Kiley, trailing behind them, laughs a bit into her hand. Alex winks at her before turning his attention back to the other twin.

"Good to know you approve," Alex says, all smug and suave, before nodding at Kiley. "So she's got that bow and arrow, what do you have?"

Alana tenses up a bit, before shaking her head. "No."

"Come on, I showed you mine, show me yours," He demands as they near their fellow students. 

"Yours is on your face," Alana laughs at him. "Mine's a lot more private than that."

He suddenly smirks. "It's on your chest, isn't it."

Kiley snorts and Alana groans, rolling her eyes.

"I'm not showing you."

"Sean," Alex says, plopping down to the ginger-haired male Alana'd been introduced to as Banshee. "Help me out. New girl won't let me see her soulmark."

Alex's soul mate sighs, leaning into the blonde. "Leave her alone, Havok. Maybe it's down under."

Alana chokes on air as Kiley laughs her ass off, laying back down in the grass.

Alex lights up. "Ohhhh. Down under, eh?"

"You're gross," Alex's brother yells from several feet away, and Alana pointedly turns her head in the opposite direction, feeling her heart beat rapidly in her chest.

"No, Scott, you're gross," Alex yells back. "Quit making moon eyes at Jean, we all know you two are helplessly in love."

As laughter rips through the group, Kiley's hand comes up and interlaces with Alana's, squeezing tight.

"It'll be okay," The telepath says.

"Oi," Sean says, peering at the twins. "Have you guys met everyone yet?"

"Uh, no," Alana says. 

"Met a few briefly, can't really remember names though," Kiley says cheerfully, turning the heat off her twin.

"I'm failing my duties as your new best friend," Alex says, dramatically, before pulling away from Sean to sit up properly.

"We could just go around and introduce ourselves," A young African female speaks up from next to a pale-skinned, pierced, black-haired female with what looks like multicolored energy blasts running up and down her right arm.

"An excellent idea, Ororo," This voice has everyone scrambling to sit upright as Professor Charles wheels across the lawn, Professor Erik a silent sentinel beside him. "Jean, would you like to go first?"

Alana's grip on her sister's hand inadvertently tightens, leading Kiley to reach over and pat her knee.

The long-haired redhead nods, swinging her hair over one shoulder as she sits up a bit more properly, one hand still entangled with Scott's. "I'm Jean Grey, I'm a telepath and telekinetic."

"Codename: The Phoenix," A brown-haired male laughs from the other side of the circle, where he's holding the hand of a dirty-blonde male who's idly playing with a lighter.

"Bobby," Charles sighs, and the brown-haired male instantly looks sheepish.

"Sorry, Professor."

"Scott Summers," The brown-haired male says, and Alana's heart picks up again. "I shoot lasers out of my eyes. They call me Cyclops out in the field."

"You don't go out in the field," Alex taunts, and Scott just frowns behind his ruby-red shades.

"No one asked you, Alex!"

"Boys," Erik says, and the two immediately settle down.

Alana giggles softly, before she can help herself.

"Lola Brewer," The pierced female says, drawing everyone's attention back on point. "They call me Rhythm. I control brainwaves through music and sound."

"Don't piss her off, you'll screw with your head," Bobby pipes up, even as Charles looks at him sternly.

"The only one here pissing me off is YOU, Bobby," Lola retorts, holding up her hand tauntingly, like she's about to activate her power.

"Bobby, Lola," Erik snaps, and the female instantly drops her hand.

"Sorry, Professor," She says, although there's a hint of a smirk on her lips. "Won't happen again."

"I know it won't," The electromagnetic-manipulator says heavily, before turning his gaze onto the girl next to Lola.

"I'm Ororo Munroe, codename: Storm," She says.

"Let me guess, you control the weather?" Kiley asks, and Alana laughs again.

"How did you ever guess?" Storm says innocently, batting her eyelids, and the entire group bursts out into laughter.

xxxxxxxxx

Over the course of the next ten minutes, Alana and Kiley are introduced to the rest of Charles and Erik's young charges.

Bobby is Bobby Drake, aka Iceman; he controls and can manufacture ice, even being able to turn his body to ice. His soul-mate, the dirty blonde with the lighter, is John Allerdyce or 'Pyro', harnessing the ability to control fire at will.

There's also Raven Darkholme, a young female slightly older than Alex and Sean who considers herself as more of a 'teacher's helper', with the ability to fluidly shapeshift into any form she wishes. Out in the field, she informs Alana and Kiley, she goes by the name 'Mystique'.

The last two are Hank McCoy, aka Beast, and Angel Salvadore ("they just call me Angel in the field, lazy bums"). Hank has the ability to transform into a blue ape-like creature, while Angel has dragonfly wings and acidic saliva.

Once the group has finished introducing themselves, all eyes turn to the twins.

"Kiley Echo," Kiley says almost immediately. "I'm a telepath."

Jean looks visibly interested. Alana knows, however, there's practically zero chance of her sister ever becoming friends with the redhead.

"Alana," The strawberry blonde says. "I, uh. I produce and control a blue substance that I can form into almost anything. Shields and domes are easiest, though."

"I wanna see," Alex says almost immediately, and Alana just sighs.

"Would you like to give a demonstration, Alana?" Professor Charles asks kindly, and the matter manipulator twists her hands in her lap before shrugging and standing up.

"Where's the popcorn when you need it," Sean asks, and Alana huffs a laugh as she holds her hands out, palm up,

It takes a few seconds, but the Blue Matter, as she calls it, slowly rises from her palms and dances in the air.

"Whoa," Bobby says, and Alana smiles a bit, moving her hands facing out.

The matter follows her movements, stretching out and solidifying until she has a fairly transparent blue shield in front of her.

"That would totally come in handy out in the field," Alex says, and Charles clears his throat.

"Alex."

"Sorry. Cool trick, Lana," He winks at her, and Alana shrugs her shoulders before plopping back down on the grass, half-hiding behind Kiley.

She's never been good at being the center of attention, after all.

"Thank you, Alana," Charles says, nodding at her, before clearing his throat once more. "Now, today, I'd like you to pair up and run drills across the courtyard..."

xxxxxxxxxx

By the time the professors finally dismiss them, it's time for lunch.

"I think it's taco day," Alex says, pushing his way in between the twins as they all head back into the mansion. "Do you guys like tacos?"

"Who doesn't?" Kiley scoffs.

"Jean," That's Lola, who's appeared on Alana's other side. "She says they're too messy."

"That's just wrong," Alana says softly, and Alex snickers.

"I knew I liked you for a reason, matter-girl."

"That's not going to work," Sean pipes up. "Not catchy enough."

"Not catchy enough, my ass," Alex snorts.

"We're not talking about your ass right now, Alex," Lola sighs, teaching around Alana to flick him on the forehead.

"I *like* my ass," The blonde pouts.

"It's a very nice ass," Sean says, shoving one of his hands in Alex's back pocket.

"See? Sean thinks I have a nice ass."

"Sean is your soulmate," Lola scoffs. "Doesn't count."

"Ouch," The ginger sighs. "That hurts, Rhythm."

"Suck it up," The black-haired female rolls her eyes, before directing her attention to Alana. "Sean's right, though. We need something catchier for you then 'Matter-Girl'."

"I have a suggestion," Kiley says, stepping ahead of them and turning around to face them.

"We're listening," Alex says, going all wide-eyed and staring straight at her.

"She makes shields and domes, yeah?" Kiley looks at Alana, grin spreading across her face. "I say Lana's codename becomes Barricade."

There's a slight pause as they mount the steps, before Alex claps his hand. "Barricade. I like it."

"Do I get any say in this at all?" Alana sighs, and Sean just grins beneath his mass of curls.

"None at all."

xxxxxxxxx

Life at the Academy soon becomes routine, and Alana enjoys every single second of having some place she can truly call 'home'.

She and Kiley naturally gravitate towards Alex, Sean, and Lola, and soon it becomes common knowledge that they'll pretty much always be together outside of lessons, causing mischief or lazing about.

Just as Alana had predicted, their second week at the Academy, Jean had approached Kiley, saying 'telepaths should stick together'. Alex had nearly died from laughter when Kiley had just looked at her and said, "Thanks, but no thanks. I'm not interested in a new best friend. Lana's all I need."

Needless to say, Jean didn't appreciate that, and often refused to hang out with the entire group, making sure Scott didn't either.

"God," Lola had said. "She is such a *bitch*."

"Don't let Professor hear you say that," Sean had grinned, pushing up his mop of curls and making faces at the telepath's back.

"She's not that bad," Alana had shrugged her shoulders, and Kiley had clapped a hand down on her shoulder.

"Seriously? *You're* saying that?"

Alex had looked back and forth. "Am I missing something here?"

"No," Alana'd said.

"Yes," Kiley had said.

"I'm so confused," Sean had been scratching his head.

"When they want to tell us about it they will," Lola had shrugged. "Come on, are we going into town for ice cream or what?"

"Yes. Yes we are," Alana had nodded, and promptly had steered them all out of the mansion.

xxxxxxxxxx

During the summer of their first year, Janos and Emma take all of them to the circus for a field trip.

Sean, of course, buys the biggest bag of popcorn he can find and he and Alex eat it all in less than an hour and throw the leftover kernels at people they pass by as Jean stares at them disapprovingly and tries to tell on them to Emma.

Emma, surprisingly, picks a kernel out of the box and throws it in Jean's hair when she's not looking.

"I've never liked teacher's pets or tattle-tales," The telepath says, then wanders off towards the fortune teller's booth.

"I love her," Sean says.

"You say that because she only wears basically a glorified bra for her top," Lola scoffs.

"Don't judge my love, Brewer. Don't judge it."

"Shouldn't you be upset with this?" Kiley asks, looking at Alex.

"Nope," The blonde says. "She's hot. I understand."

He and Sean slap a high-five, and then throw kernels at some haughty women walking by.

"You two are terrible," Alana says, then suddenly cranes her head around as a brunette male walks by. "Kiley. Oh my god Kiley."

"Whaaaat," The telepath says, turning around from the candy stall that had caught her attention.

"That guy," She points to the brunette, dressed in black and purple performing gear, a bow strapped to his back. "He's got a bluebell on his upper arm."

Kiley's eyes widened. "What!"

"Sorry, what's so special about bluebells?" Lola asked.

"They're my favorite flower," Kiley said. "That was...our mom's nickname for me."

"Codename: Bluebell," Sean says around a mouthful of cotton candy.

"Where did you even get that from?" Alana asks.

"Oh, you know. Around."

"Yeah, uh-huh," Alana rolls her eyes, then nudges Kiley with her elbow. "Go talk to him."

"Erm," Kiley bites at her lip. "Should I?"

"Just go before I drag you over there," Lola huffs, stealing some of Sean's cotton candy.

"OI!"

"Shut up, Banshee," Lola says as Alana pushes her twin in brunette guy's direction.

"I feel so unloved," Sean huffs, but then hums when Alex leans over and kisses him straight on the mouth.

"Get a room, you two," Lola says, stealing Sean's cotton candy while they're otherwise occupied.

"I think right here works just fine for me," Alex smirks, nibbling Sean's ear. "What about you, babe?"

"Hi," The ginger says, slightly breathless.

"Dammit, Havok, you kissed out all his remaining brain cells," Lola sighs.

"Think that was the weed," Alana pipes up, pulling off a wad of cotton candy.

"Huh, that too," Lola shrugs. "Whatever, we get a free show."

"Professor Janos," Jean's voice pitches over the noise of the circus. "I think some of our group has wandered off."

"I hate her. I really, really hate her," Lola says, and Alana just shakes her head before going to go talk to Janos, because Kiley meeting her soulmate is WAY more important than stupid field-trip-rules.

xxxxxxxxxx

"His name is Clint," Kiley says, all breathless as they sit in the big top's stands. "He's an archer."

"No, really?" Alex gasps. "I couldn't tell from the giant ass bow strapped to his back!"

Alana reaches over and slaps him on the upper thigh, making him yelp. "Don't be an asshole."

"Wow, getting fresh with my boyfriend there, Echo," Sean wiggles his eyebrows while Alana blushes high in her cheeks.

"Stuff it, Cassidy," She snaps, and promptly removes her hand from Alex's thigh.

"It's okay, baby, if Sean wasn't my soulmate I'd be all over your ass," Alex bats his eyelashes and then smacks a wet kiss against the matter-manipulator's cheek.

Lola and Angel, who'd joined them for the show, snicker at the end of the row.

"He asked for my phone number," Kiley says, almost to herself. "Emma said it was okay to give it to him. He's going to call me and write me letters and maybe visit occasionally."

"Oh my god, you are so disgusting right now," Alana says, laughing louder than necessary and ignoring Jean's disapproving glare and Scott murmuring at her.

"He has really impressive biceps," Kiley sighs out and Lola smacks her in the shoulder.

"Stop being all dreamy and focus on the show."

"He's gonna be in this show," Kiley responds, almost with heart eyes, and Alana just throws her hands in the air.

"Wait," Sean sits forward and stares straight at Kiley. "You're not going to run away and join the circus, are you?"

"Don't give her any ideas," Angel laughs, and Alana grabs her twin's wrists.

"Don't leave me behind," She begs. "Don't join the circus and leave me behind."

Kiley blinks at her slowly. "You could always join me," She says, deadpan, and Alex chokes on popcorn.

xxxxxxxxxx

During the winter leading into the twins' second year, they get two new arrivals at the Academy. One is a student, and the other...well, he's not a teacher, more like another addition to the X-Men team.

"Alison Blaire," The blonde-haired, blue-eyed female introduces herself to the little group, brushing aside her hair and revealing the trail of music notes leading up her neck and behind her right ear. "I absorb sound waves and change them into light energy blasts."

Lola looks a little gobsmacked, and starts hitting Alana on the upper arm. "Lana. Lana. Lana."

"The fuck, Rhythm, I see her, knock it off!" The matter-manipulator hisses, smacking her back.

"She's got music notes on her neck," Lola hisses.

"I saw," The strawberry blonde rolls her eyes. "And you've got light blasts on your arms. I get it."

Alison's eyes drift over their way, and she sort of smiles a bit when she sees Lola.

"Codename: Dazzler," Alex decides, and Kiley just snickers.

"Bet that took you a long time, Mr. Havok," She teases, and pokes him in the cheek.

"Eh, you know me," Alex winks at her, before looking at Alison. "Welcome to the group, Dazzler. Are you and Rhythm here gonna run off and go make out now?"

"I don't know," Alison smiles at Lola, eyes drifting across the black haired female's marked arm. "Are we?"

"Yes," Lola says, and drags the blonde up the stairs.

"Well, we're not going to see them for a while," Sean says, and Kiley slaps him upside the head.

xxxxxxxxxx

The other new arrival is one Remy LeBeau, a controller/manipulator of potential and kinetic energy. He's a charmer with his thick accent and ladies-man attitude, although a dainty black handprint wraps around the crook of his right arm.

"Well hello, missy," Remy winks at Alana the first time they meet. "Aren't you a pretty thing. No soul mark?"

"Not for you," the matter-manipulator says pleasantly, giving him a small smirk and then brushing past him to walk down the staircase.

"Think about it, eh?" He calls after her.

Alana shakes her head in disbelief.

"Meet the new guy?" Kiley asks at the bottom of the staircase.

"Yeahhhh," Alana shakes her head. "He's a character. How's Clint?"

"Clint's good," Kiley says, all dopey like she normally is after she and Clint have talked for ages on the phone. "He's...he's good."

"I'm ashamed to be your sister right now," Alana teases, reaching over to pinch her twin's cheek. "You better make up for it, girly."

"Hot tub?" Kiley offers, tilting her head to the side.

"You know I can't," Alana says, laying her hand over her hipbone and fanning out her fingers, digging her nails into the fabric of her jeans.

"No one in our group is going to judge you," Kiley says softly. "But, I have a solution anyway."

"Oh yeah?"

"It's called a sarong," Kiley says, all smug. "Wrap it around your bottom half."

Alana pauses. "That...that actually might work."

"Told you," Kiley winks at her. "I'll round the gang up."

xxxxxxxxxx

"Damn," Alex says, almost pouting. "So it's *not* on your chest."

"You're a pervert, Alex Summers," Kiley declares loudly, smacking him in the upper arm. "Stop staring at my sister."

"I just appreciate Lana's beautiful form," He says, going all wide-eyed. "Is that such a problem?"

"Shouldn't you be looking at your own boyfriend?" The other twin says haughtily, spreading her hands over her tummy and practically hugging herself.

"It's cool," Sean says from where he's got his arms outstretched, head resting on the outside of the hot tub. "I'm post-coital. He can look at whoever he wants."

"We did not need to know that," Lola says, disgust dripping from her voice, even as Ali laughs into her shoulder.

"Too late," Sean says, and then grins stupidly at Alex, who's face softens as he also gets this total dopey look on his face.

"You two are so sickeningly in love," Alana says, kicking her leg out and managing to hit Alex in the knee. "Fuck off."

"Ow, shit, Echo!" Alex swears, flailing a little in the tub, and Lola and Kiley both start laughing at him.

"Suck it up," The matter-manipulator twirls her fingers at him, before sinking back down into the gloriously warm water.

"Are you guys always this..." Alison pauses, obviously looking for a suitable word.

"Crazy?"

"Batshit insane?"

"Fucking awesome?" Alex supplies.

"Yes," The blonde girl says, in response to all.

"You get used to it," Kiley shrugs.

"I just mostly blame Alex," Lola snarks, then smirks when the blonde male flips her off.

Sean suddenly lifts his head, looking straight at Alana. "Is it on your butt?"

Alana chokes on nothing, leading into a coughing fit.

"Yes, Sean," Kiley says dryly. "It's on her butt."

"Wait. Really?"

"No, you dick," Kiley snorts. "It's called sarcasm."

"Awww," Sean gets his kicked-puppy-dog-look on.

"That would be totally hot, though," Alex pipes up, and Kiley pinches his ear.

Alana coughs one more time, shaking her head and making a split-second decision as she stands up. "You guys really wanna see it?"

"You don't have to, Lana," Lola says at the same time as Sean and Alex chorus, "Fuck yeah."

Alana shrugs her shoulders and begins to fumble with the knot of her sarong, struggling to untie the wet fabric.

"Lana," Kiley says, eyes serious. "You sure?"

"Yeah," She says, and the wet fabric falls around her knees, displaying the red and gold mark to the room.

Dead silence.

"Dude," Alex says. "That fucking sucks."

"Shit, Lana," Lola follows up.

The strawberry blonde just sighs, sinking back down into the water, instinctively tracing her fingers across the mark. "It's okay."

"My brother's a dick," Alex says.

"Must run in the family," Kiley quips.

Alex shoots her a look. "He doesn't deserve you."

"You don't deserve Sean," Alana manages to joke. "Must run in the family."

"Low blow," He says, clutching his chest. "Low. Blow."

"It's okay, dude," Sean says. "I love you."

"Gross," Lola gags as Kiley's laugh echoes across the room.

"I'm little confused," Alison states. "Your mark belongs to Scott, but he has Jean's phoenix?"

"Yeah," Alana says. "Fuck if I know."

"Has anyone actually seen Jean's mark?" Sean wonders idly.

"Guys," Alana sighs. "I'm fine. Really."

"Too bad," Alex says, and launches across the hot tub to grab her in a tight hug. "Sean, we're adopting her into our relationship."

"Okay," Sean says easily.

"Yeah, I'm not fucking either one of you," Alana wriggles her nose, and Kiley's laughing so hard.

"No fucking required. Just cuddles and hand-holding."

"Gotta make me sandwiches too," Sean pipes up.

"I'm not making you sandwiches," Alana states firmly.

"Eh. Worth a shot."

"Pretty sure things don't work this way," Lola says, and Alex just waves a hand in the air.

"Fuck the rules."

xxxxxxxxx

A little over a month later, Charles calls the twins, Scott, Jean, Bobby, and John into his office.

"Thank you for all arriving so promptly," The elder telepath says pleasantly, folding his hands and looking at them all precisely.

"We all know the importance of punctuality, Professor," Jean says from where she's sitting in one of the two chairs in the Professor's office.

Scott is sitting in the other one.

"I've called you in here because you've all shown great mastery and control over your powers since you've first arrived here at the Academy," Charles drums his fingers against the wooden surface of his desk, which is odd in of itself; the Professor is always calm and collected. "Erik and I have mulled it over, and we want to know how you do out in the field."

"Oh, really, Professor?" Bobby says excitedly, and Alana stands up a little straighter.

"This is a test, Bobby," Charles reminds him calmly. "We'll be sending you out in groups of five, two of you with three more...experienced X-Men."

"And if we pass?" Kiley asks, keeping her voice as calm as possible.

"Then, we will see about securing you a position on the field team," Charles' eyes are twinkling, and Alana is more then a little bit excited.

"When will we be going out in the field?" John asks, and Jean looks miffed that she didn't get to ask the question first.

"Alana and Scott will be going out tomorrow," The Professor says, and Alana feels her body seize up a little bit. "When they get back, I will send Jean and Bobby out. John and Kiley will be the last to go out."

Jean's eyes narrow. "If I ask, Professor, why these...teams?"

She obviously wants to be sent out with Scott. Even Alana can tell that's not a good idea.

"I want a telepath on each team," Charles says patiently. "Emma will be on the team with Alana and Scott."

"Makes sense," Kiley says, to break the tension.

"Quite," The Professor says. "You are all dismissed. Alana, Scott, report to the X-Jet Hangar at 0900 tomorrow morning."

"Yes Professor," Alana says, and is the first one out the door.

This is going to suck ass.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Are you going to be okay?" Kiley asks as Alana twists her hair into a ponytail braid.

"Yeah," The matter-manipulator nods, pulling on the yellow-and-blue uniform that's been specifically tailored to her liking.

"I know Raven had us all design what uniforms we wanted to wear when we joined the team but..." Alana twisted around, looking at the tight fit of the pants, tucked under blue boots designed to allow her Blue Matter to seep through. The jacket sleeves have been hacked at the elbow and she's wearing blue gloves that are of the same design. "I never thought I'd actually..."

"You look good, Barricade," Kiley cracks, lounging back on the bed.

Alana rolls her eyes, playing with zipper of the yellow jacket before sighing. "I gotta go."

"Hey," Kiley scrambles off the bed, resting her hands on her twin's shoulder. "You're going to be okay. Okay?"

"Yeah," Alana breathes in. "I'm going to be great."

"Yes, exactly. Now go kick ass, alright?"

"Right," Alana flashes a brilliant smile, and moves towards the door, shutting it behind her.

Scott's leaning across the opposite wall, also dressed head-to-toe in his X-Men gear.

"Nice visor," Alana cracks, shoving her hands in the jacket's pockets. "That why they call you Cyclops?"

"Very funny," He says drily, pushing off the wall, and dear lord is he tall.

Alana feels a little weak in the knees.

"I know," She says, putting up her facade. "I'm fucking hilarious."

"I'll have to take your word for it," Scott says as they descend down the staircase. "I wouldn't know."

"But you'll have to find out?" Alana teases, and dammit why, WHY is she flirting with him???

"Oh, yes, I'll be sure to fit it into the agenda," Scott says, voice heavily laced with sarcasm, and Alana honest-to-god actually fucking giggles.

This mission is going to be a long one.

xxxxxxxxxxx

"I cannot sense Gambit in the area," Emma says, lowering her hand from her temple, and Alana feels her stomach twist in knots.

"Well, this just got a lot more complicated," Raven sighs, eyes scanning the horizon around the little cottage Gambit had been holed up in on who knows what kind of mission for the past two weeks.

"Azazel," Emma says, looking straight at the teleporter.

The red-skinned mutant inclines his head, and then vanishes in a cloud of red smoke.

"We've got to figure out what happened here, fast," Raven mutters, half to herself, half to the group.

Alana shifts on her feet nervously, and then looks at Emma. "Uhm..."

"Yes? What is it, child?" The telepath looks straight at her.

"I can," Alana holds out her hand, Blue Matter slowly forming in front of it. "I mean, I've been working on something; sort of like a spider would, create a net in the ground that will...well, be linked to me."

Emma stares straight at her, and Alana opens her mind briefly to the telepath, projecting just what she wants the older woman to see in the forefront of her mind.

Emma blinks, and the icy cold presence is gone. "You're very good at blocking telepaths, Alana."

"Comes with growing up with a telepath as your twin," The strawberry blonde says firmly, sticking her chin out a little bit when Scott tilts his head to hers, obviously interested.

"At any rate," Emma says. "Create your net. It will be good security for us."

The matter-manipulator rubs her hands together, then kneels down on the ground, placing her palms flat against the cold surface. She inhales once, before focusing a good portion of her energy into the ground.

The surface immediately around her lights up that baby sky blue that's the color of her powers, shooting out strands that criss-cross and weave together, stretching out far past their sight before slowly disappearing.

"How far was that?" Raven asks.

"Four miles, I think," Alana breathes out, and suddenly feels a little light-headed. "Oooh. Think I poured out too much energy."

Emma's immediately in front of her, touching her hand to Alana's cheek. "My dear, you used over fifty percent of your power."

"Meant to use twenty five," Alana says cheekily, because that's her best defense. "Sorry."

"Cyclops," Raven says. "You make sure she's alright if we get into shit, yeah?"

"I'll protect her with my life," He says solemnly.

"No need to go that far, visor-boy," Alana quips, knees buckling under her. "I'm not totally drained."

"If he wants to be the hero, let him be," Emma says, and presses an image against Alana's mind; the younger's soulmark.

The strawberry blonde's eyes widen in disbelief, red coloring her cheeks. *How did you-*

Emma projects softly. 

*Thank you,* Alana sighs, right as Azazel pops back up next to them, tail swishing.

"There is an old warehouse six miles northeast from here," He says. "It should be abandoned but there's quite a few heavy duty trucks outside."

"Gambit's probably there," Scott says. 

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Raven starts, but Alana doesn't hear whatever else she's saying because suddenly her whole body is thrumming with urgency."

She doesn't use words, just grasps Emma's wrist and practically throws the information at the older women's mind.

Emma quickly stands up, transforming into diamond form. "We've got company. Azazel, go and get Gambit. We'll be fine here."

Azazel disappears, and Raven shifts into a fighting stance, pulling out her knives and gripping them hard. Scott grabs Alana's wrist and pulls her up, partial supporting her. The strawberry blonde leans against him, holding out her hand and producing more Blue Matter.

"Barricade-" Raven starts.

"No fancy tricks," She promises, and shifts it into a shield. "Just the basics. I'll cover you guys."

"And yourself," Scott looks down at her.

"Yeah, okay," Alana agrees, just so he'll stop looking at her like that. "Two miles out."

"If anything happens," Emma says, looking over to them. "You two get back to the mansion."

"Emma-"

"Promise me."

"We promise," Scott says after a brief pause.

"Mile and a half," Alana says. "They're moving fast."

"Humans or mutants?" Scott asks, hand coming up to his visor.

"Humans," Emma says. "Let's try to keep the casualties to a minimum. I do not want to face the wrath of Charles' disapproving look when we return."

Alana laughs despite the situation, and Raven grins.

"That's the worst look of all," The blue-skinned mutant agrees. "Especially when he pairs it with his 'I'm disappointed in you speech'."

"Haven't heard that one yet," Emma says, and suddenly the roar of truck engines is on them.

xxxxxxxxx

Alana is screaming.

There's the sound of gunshots and-dear god, is that explosions?-surrounding her, and every once in a while she thinks she can hear the hum of Scott's optic beam, but it's all drowned out by her voice and the thudding in her ears.

"-zel! Find Barricade!"

She can't even begin to remember how it happened, how she came to be lying in the snow under two of the anti-mutant group's trucks, simultaneously bleeding blood and the Blue Matter, but she thinks it may have been a bullet. That or someone shoved a knife in her side.

Her voice cuts out on her, vocal cords protesting the strain she'd put on them. Everything's blue and red, and it hurts.

There's another bout of yelling, and Raven's voice in the distance- "GET OUT OF MY WAY, FUCKERS!"

"-ma. She's-herself with-shield."

"Alana! ALANA! -to take your shield down!"

The strawberry blonde's mouth opens in a wordless scream once more, and suddenly her mind is hurtling over the horizon, miles and miles away-

/...Alana?\

*Ki...ley...*

Confusion that's not hers swarms her mind, followed by shock and pain and anger. /Alana!\

*It hurts...*

/I'm right here, sis, right here. Give me your pain. Let me help. Open your eyes to me.\

The manipulator struggles for a moment, trying to push past the pain as Kiley's mind weaves with her own, warm and comforting and feeling like home.

/Emma. Emma, are you there??\

Then suddenly there's a third mind in the mix, that icy-cool feeling that's taking just a bit of the edge off. 

/Lana's in a lot of pain, I'm holding her together as best as I can, but I don't know how much longer-\

 

Alana screams again, and it echoes across the three-way psychic link Kiley's somehow managed to create.

/Lana. Lana. Breathe for me. I'm here and we're going to get you out of this...oh. Oh god. Emma, she's been shot. Twice. She's losing a lot of blood.\

 

/...Alana.\

Light bursts behind her eyes, and suddenly she's not screaming anymore. There's warm hands petting her hair and a soothing voice whispering in her ear.

"...my little rosebud. You are going to be quite the woman one day."

Alana's eyes fly open.

*Kiley.*

/I'm here. I'll take your pain, sis, but you've got to take down the shield.\

The strawberry blonde grits her teeth and forces her hands up, pressing against the metal of the trucks that are surrounding her.

The Blue Matter wiggles and squirms, but Alana cries out her frustration, pulling it towards her and forcing it back into her body.

/Emma. She's done it. Get her out of there.\

"Scott, can you blast that thing off of her? She's right in the middle of it, be careful!"

There's a humming in the back of her mind, and then blackness.

xxxxxxxxx

"-coming to."

"Alana. I need you to relax, okay? I know this hurts a lot, but we're still not back yet and we have to get you patched up. You've lost too much blood."

"Em...ma."

"Scott, hold down her feet. I'm right here, Alana. Raven, can you take the bullets out?"

"I'm not Erik, I can't just magically find them and rip them out!" Raven's voice snarls.

"Azazel, have you contacted home?"

"They already know we're on our way back. Kiley apparently told them everything."

"Good. Gambit!"

"I'm right here."

"Cut her shirt off."

Alana panics at this, thrashing a bit under Emma and Scott's hold.

"I'm sorry, Barricade. We need to be able to get to both bullets."

She cries.

There's the sound of ripping fabric, and a bit of silence.

"Is that-" Scott says, a little unbelievingly.

"Yes, it's your glasses. Talk to her about it later, after we've saved her life."

"Right," Scott's voice is a little bit unsteady, and a wave of blackness threatens to swarm over Alana.

"Stay with us, Barricade."

"God damn it, all this matter of hers is making this ten times more hard," Raven snaps, and Alana can suddenly feel something cold pressing against her side amongst all the pain.

She whimpers, and it turns into a full-blown cry of pain.

"Sorry, sorry," Raven apologizes. "Think I got one. Fuck, no, never mind. Jesus Christ, where's Hank when you need him?"

"Azazel, how close are we?"

"Half a mile out."

"Fuck it," Emma snaps. "Let's try to stop the bleeding as much as we can."

"Having someone who could heal would be so handy right now," Raven sighs, and cloth is pressing against her sides.

"Suck it up," Emma snaps. "We are NOT losing her."

"Alana," Scott's voice. "Stay with us. You can do it."

"If you die now, Alex will kill us all and have to go back to jail," Raven says. "Do you want that?"

"-ungh," Alana huffs out. "Kil...ey..."

"She's waiting for you to come back," Emma says. "I don't know how the hell you managed to meld minds with her hundreds of miles apart, but she saved your life. Stay with us, Barricade."

"So tired," Alana sighs, and then slips back out.

xxxxxxxxxx

Charles is sitting next to her bedside in the medbay when she wakes up next.

"Ah, Alana. How are you feeling?"

"Like I was run over by the X-Jet," She sighs, eyes fluttering briefly as she slowly sits up, wincing at the strain.

He chuckles, placing a hand on her arm. "I can imagine so. You lost a lot of blood and matter, and you were in shock for a while."

"Gambit...he's safe, right?" Alana asks, eyes wide and earnest.

"Yes, you and Scott passed the test with flying colors, my dear."

"I got shot. Twice," She says flatly.

"You were ingenious in providing security measures for your team and the shields you set up for Raven, Scott, and Azazel stayed in place even after you were shot which, Emma tells me, wasn't even until the fight was almost over. You did well, Barricade."

"I feel...like I failed," Alana murmurs, drawing her uninjured leg up to her chest.

"Ah. Perhaps we should be talking about your emotional state right now, instead."

"I don't want to talk about it," Alana mutters.

"Very well," The Professor says. "Although in the five days you have been out Scott's mark has completed faded from his skin...and Jean now has three claw marks on each hand."

The strawberry blonde's head jerks up. "Professor?"

"I only wish for the happiness of all my students, Alana. I'd think you'd best talk to Scott."

"Our happiness doesn't mean that much if you're not happy, Professor," Alana says, and then blinks because where had THAT come from?

"Ah, yes. When you sought out your sister's mind, Emma and I believe you two literally melded your minds together. I think some of your powers seeped over."

Alana stares at him. "You mean...?"

"Yes. You should have limited telepathic abilities now, as well."

"This...I...is it permanent?"

"I am not sure my dear. We will have to wait and see."

xxxxxxxxxx

"Don't you ever fucking do that again," Alex shouts at her, then sits on the bed and hugs her fiercely.

"I didn't do it on purpose," She huffs, but grabs at his shirt and snuggles into him.

"Don't care," He says, and pats her head. "Jean is pissed beyond belief."

"Yeah, I heard her and Scott's marks don't match up anymore."

"She didn't have one before," Alex says. "And now Scott doesn't have one."

"He saw mine," Alana says, and her breath hitches a little. "While they were trying to get the bullets out of me."

Alex shudders. "Bullets. We would have fallen apart without you, Barricade."

Alana shakes her head. "You would have made it."

"I hear you are an actual field member now," Alex says, and Alana allows the subject change.

"Oh yeah. Watch out, world, Barricade's here to fuck shit up," She says seriously, and Alex snorts.

"Summers," Kiley's voice echoes across the medbay. "Are you hurting my sister?"

"No, ma'am," He says, winking. "Healing hugs only."

"Yeah, uh-huh," Kiley rolls her eyes. /Lana.\

*So I hear we mixed and matched powers,* Alana projects, and she can see a little flash of Kiley's mind-

/Your Matter is disgusting. I don't know how you deal with this shit.\

Alana laughs out loud, and Alex looks disturbed. "Are you two doing your freaky ESP twin shit?"

"Yes," Kiley says politely. "We're planning on how to kill you and bury your body where no one will ever find you."

Alana laughs so hard at the look on Alex's face that she seizes up with cramps.

xxxxxxxxxx

Scott comes to visit her a few days later.

"Hi Cykey!" She greets. "So I heard you saved my life."

"You saved your own life. I just got the car off from on top of you."

"That counts as saving my life in my book," Alana says, and tries not to look at the formation of the mark that's starting to show up on Scott's arm, curling up his arm in little wavy lines before pooling into a big circle right above the crook of his elbow.

He catches her glance anyway. "Woke up to it yesterday. Still don't know what it is."

Alana swallows around the suddenly dry air and tucks her hair behind her ear nervously. "It's for me," She says hesitantly. "My Matter would always drip like that when I was first learning how to control my powers and make shields."

Scott smoothes his thumb across the bottom of mark, where it's just starting to blue, and sighs. "Should have known. Things felt...right, when I saw yours."

Alana's breath hitches in her throat a little. "Scott..."

"I don't-Jean and I just ended."

"Okay," She says.

"I don't want to rub it in her face, like-"

"Scott," She says, louder this time. "OKAY."

He looks at her, and Alana can almost feel the disbelief emanating from behind those ruby-red glasses. "You're sure?"

"Yeah," She says, and moves her hand to lay over on top of his. "I'm sure."

They both sit there and watch the blue color curl up his arm, filling in the lines until it gets to the 'shield', where it leaves an empty space that makes the letter 'B' right in the middle.

xxxxxxxxxx

When Hank finally deems her healthy enough to be up and around, Alana manages to coerce Emma into 'chaperoning' a good portion of them out to a diner for lunch.

Alex eyes Scott for a brief second when he joins them at their booth, but Alana sticks her pointer finger at him, forming a tiny drop of Blue Matter, and flicks it at his forehead.

"The fuck, Echo?" Alex swears as Lola rolls her eyes.

"Be nice," She says. "To your brother."

Scott snorts, then looks a little surprised that the noise came out of his mouth.

"So rude to me, your best friend," Alex says in response, making fake sniffling noises and hiding in Sean's shoulder.

"Suck it up, Summers," Lola says haughtily, even as Scott looks a little awkward at the edge of the booth next to Alana.

Kiley takes a deep sip of her milkshake, pushes it across the table from where she's sitting out in the aisle, and says, "I'm joining SHIELD."

They all turn to her, heads like one collective entity, and stare.

"What," Alana says, because she legit did not know about this, hadn't seen any hints in her sister's mind lately.

"WHAT," Alex reiterates, voice significantly louder.

"I'm joining SHIELD when I'm eighteen," Kiley says again, and Alana flounders for a minute because that is eight. months. away.

"Why?" Sean is the next part of the entity to speak.

"They sent me a job offer," Kiley says, running a finger down the side of her glass. "I'm going to take it. The Academy is great and all but...I want to be part of something bigger."

"What the actual fuck," Lola says so loudly John and Bobby look over at them.

"Kiley," Alana starts, then stops. She doesn't actually know what to say.

"I know they sent you one too," Kiley says, and all heads swivel towards the matter manipulator.

"I'm not going to take it," Alana protests even as Alex and Sean stare directly at her.

"You two do everything together," Alex accuses.

"Not everything," The matter-manipulator says, and catches Kiley's eye, minds sliding over one another-

"Oh. That's why you're going," She says out loud, on accident, and Kiley has the decency to flush high in her cheeks. 

"We don't all have your ESP twin shit," Lola says, because the entire group had picked it up from Alex.

"Clint's going, too," Alana murmurs softly, and Alex starts making these little knowing noises even as Kiley bangs her head against the table.

Scott's hand brushes against hers, and Alana grabs it without even thinking about it.

Surprisingly, he lets her, and even shifts his grip so they can hold hands more properly.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Kiley Echo, United States spy," Alana says three and a half weeks later, when she thinks she can handle it.

Her twin looks up from her latest Clint-letter, and sets it down on her bed. "Technically, we operate outside the stature of countries and governments."

"Kiley Echo, international spy?" Alana tries instead.

"Like the way that sounds," The telepath pauses. "Are you-"

*No,* Alana projects, and plops down on the full-sized bed right next to her sister. "You can't. You can't die on me, Kiles."

"Who was the one who got shot this year?" Kiley says dryly, but she reaches out and curls her fingers around Alana's wrist, tightening her grip shortly before pulling back.

There's a tingling on her skin, and then both their eyes widen as they watch black-and-red strawberries hanging from the other's first initial ink onto Kiley's right wrist and Alana's left.

"Holy fuck," Kiley says, and Alana grabs her hand to flip it over, staring first at Clint's mark and then hers, marked permanently into her sister's hand.

"Kiles," She says, flipping her hand over, and they both watch as Kiley's mark continues to change before their eyes, watching as blue blurs the strawberry, which morphs into the X-Men's logo, and then a bullet drips out of the strawberry and finally settles into the mark it first was.

"That..."

"Was fucking weird," Kiley says, and pulls her hand out of Alana's grip before dragging her off the bed. "Let's go talk to Professor Xavier."

xxxxxxxxxx

Alana knocks on the door, louder then necessary, even as she and Kiley watch the matter-manipulator's mark grow feathers and a bow.

"Come in," The Professor's voice echoes, and Kiley heaves the heavy wooden doors open to see Charles seated behind his desk, Erik looming against the wall next to him.

"Kiley, Alana," Charles smiles. "What can we do for you?"

"Uhm," Alana says, and Kiley shakes her head to drag her towards the desk, laying their hands down to showcase the new marks they've both gained in the past fifteen minutes.

Alana's shifts to get an arrow through it, while Kiley's strawberry gains ribbons of blue and purple encircling it, squeezing slightly.

Charles' eyes widen slightly, and Erik stalks forward as an eagle erupts from Alana's, wingspan encircling her entire wrist while Kiley's starts to glow pink.

"It seems you will have a choice ahead of you," Erik says gruffly, hand resting briefly on Charles' shoulder.

Alana looks at Kiley, then back at the professors. "I don't understand."

"You two," Charles says. "Are bound by the hand of fate. You have to be together until you make it through the trials destiny's set in front of you. You cannot be apart."

"Which means," Erik says rather bluntly. "You'll have to pick: stay here, or join SHIELD together."

The twins' eyes meet, and suddenly it's like the rest of the world doesn't even exist as their minds meld much more seamlessly then all those weeks ago.

Alana-Kiley breathes in, and there's no question which option they're going to choose. It almost makes perfect sense as Kiley-Alana makes to move her head and Alana-Kiley follows suit. 

Alana-Kiley opens her mouth and Kiley-Alana says, "We're going to-"

"-join SHIELD."

Erik is lifting an eyebrow, and Charles says, almost patiently, "Girls."

Kiley blinks, and Alana reaches back to scratch her neck.

"Sorry," The telepath apologizes. "Were we talking mind to mind?"

"No my dear," Charles says, and looks a little proud. "You two were perfectly in sync, minds melded into one."

"We were?" They both echo in surprise.

"Yes," Charles nods, and then suddenly catches a glimpse of the time. "Ah. It's time for dinner. We shall continue this discussion later, if you two are up to it?"

"Of course Professor," Kiley says, and Erik holds the door open so they can all go downstairs.

xxxxxxxxxx

"What's that," Jean declares loudly at the table, obviously trying to start something with Alana as she stares at the strawberry blonde's wrist.

Alana scrunches up her nose from her spot next to Scott, who HAD noticed the new mark but hadn't said anything about, just brushing his fingers over her skin.

"It's called a soulmark, duh," Kiley snips before Alana can say anything else. "I'd thought you knew that, since you have one of your own."

Alex snickers as Jean flushes, eyes narrowing and clearly unhappy about Kiley butting her way in.

Clearly the redhead isn't as over Scott as they'd all hoped, even with someone else's soul branded onto her skin.

"I've never seen a soulmark do that before," Jean final huffs, pointing to where Alana's mark is still ever-changing, just like her sisters.

"Well, now you've seen two," Kiley says, and props her arm up on the elbow to display her own mutating A strawberry.

"It's called a fate mark," Charles speaks up from the end of the table, obviously hoping to end an argument before it even starts. "It marks when two people who are not necessarily soul mates are bound together by some event in the future, and marks that they cannot be separated by anything less then death until that event comes to pass."

Scott's hand lands on her thigh, almost a question, and Alana drops a hand to land on top of it, fingers curling with his in answer.

*Yes. I'm leaving too.*

"Does this mean you are staying?" Alison asks Kiley, the question everyone's got on their mind.

Kiley smiles wryly, and Alex says, "No. NO!" louder then Alana's ever heard him.

"Alex," Charles says, but the blonde male ignores him.

"You can't both leave," He says, a bit desperately, and Alana's heart tugs and tightens because it's not like she wants to leave her best friend.

"It's their choice," Emma speaks up from where she's seated between Raven and Azazel, farther down the table from where the 'kids' are sitting. "They get the final say in this decision."

Alana lets her head sink down just a bit, but not before she catches the look on Jean's face that says she's over the moon about this bit.

"It's okay," Scott murmurs only just loud enough for her to here. "We're taking it slow, remember."

That makes warmth twist her heart in all kinds of ways.

xxxxxxxxxx

The beginning of June sees new additions to the X-Men facility.

Scott and Alana are out walking, hand-in-hand in the cool night air (he'd busted into her and Kiley's room three weeks previous, grabbing her by the shoulders and kissing her soundly) when suddenly the nets Alana has spread over the estate vibrate and hum in a loud chorus that sets her teeth rattling.

*Professor. Emma. Kiley. ...Jean. There's someone on the grounds.*

^Are you quite sure my dear?^ The Professor sounds wide awake. Alana's not quite sure why-he goes to bed usually around eight, the old soul that he is-but she doesn't really want to know.

She stops walking, pressing a hand against Scott's shoulders to stop him as well. *The nets are screaming at me. They're surrounding us."

/Dammit,\ Kiley's voice is wish-washy, like she'd just gotten into bed not ten minutes ago.

^Language,^ Charles says mildly, and then- ^Erik. Would you please wake up the children.^

_Already on it,_ That's Erik's voice, cold and metal to the touch. Alana has never felt his mental voice before, but it sort of suits him perfectly.

Emma speaks up, chills running down her spine. 

-Professor,- Jean's voice is an uncomfortable heat that prickles along the back of Alana's spine, making her want to shiver. -We're ready.-

^Jean, stay with the children in the Danger Room. Erik, you'll be in charge of the defense. Take Squad A. Emma, Squad B. You'll be the distraction.^

Emma's voice echoes. 

There's no vocal confirmation, but fire shoots up from the back of the mansion, followed by a column of ice that towers in the sky.

Voices crowd the night air, followed by human GRSO soldiers, and Alana gathers Blue Matter and forms it around her and Scott, creating a cocoon of protection.

_Cyclops,_ Erik's voice, connected through Kiley, bounces around their heads as the rest of Squad A pour out . _Light em up. Barricade, shields. Everyone else...make their life hell._

xxxxxxxxxx

Halfway through the battle, Alana catches sight of the two mutants GRSO is hunting.

One is a girl a few years younger then her, with brunette hair and bleach-white streaks, shrouded in a green cloak wearing tan gloves.

The other's a male who looks like he's in his early thirties, bare chested with a giant fucking orange-and-red Phoenix tattooed across his chest and three silver metal claws extended out of each hand.

Alana presses the image against Kiley's mind, who snorts and shakes in suppressed laughter as she throws people around with her mind.

Alana reaches out with her Blue Matter, letting it snake around the two mutants in a protective spiral, growing limbs to bat away GRSO soldiers from their area.

The strawberry blonde darts up to them, shooting matter at GRSO in the area to encompass them in a giant, glowing blue cage.

"Hi," She says, sliding through the spiral easier. "I'm Alana. You two doing okay?"

"Was fine without you," The male grumbles, but sheathed his claws as the battlefield starts to die down.

"Thank you," The female says in a very strong Southern accent. "I'm Marie, this is Logan. Is this...we were looking for the Xavier Institute."

"I dare say you found it just fine," Alana says. *Professor. I found our kin.*

^Excellent my dear. It seems the battle is dying down...would you like to escort them inside?*

Alana pauses for half a second, then presses her sight against the Professor's mind.

^...I see. Escort them inside anyway.^

*be there shortly.* Alana turns back to the mutants. "Professor Xavier would like to meet you two."

xxxxxxxxxx

"Aside from it belonging to Jean," Alex says. "Logan's Phoenix mark is fucking bad. ass."

Alana glances over at Scott, who just pats her knee as all the younger X-Men, aside from Jean, lounge about in the family room.

"Did you see Marie's?" Storm asks, and they're all just a big bunch of gossips, honestly.

"Nah," Alana shakes her head, scooting closer to Scott, who obligingly drapes an arm around her shoulders. "She's covered from head to toe."

"Damn," Sean says, and stuffs another chocolate chip cookie in his mouth.

"Oi," Lola says. "Pass them or lose your vocal cords."

"Violent much?" Bobby says, but snatches the packaging from Sean and tosses them Lola's way.

"Always," The black-haired female smiles dangerously, and pulls out several cookies to hand over to Alison.

"On the bright side," Alex chirps, sitting up right and swiveling around to look at Alana and his brother. "Now Miss Party Pooper can't try to get in the way of your relationship."

"Here, here," Kiley says, raising her glass of soda in the air.

"She doesn't have to, I'm doing it myself," Alana grumbles, and then Scott's grabbing her chin, jerking her face around, and kissing her very, very thoroughly.

"Ooh, get THAT," Alex whoops, then yelps as Kiley starts hitting him in the face with a pillow repeatedly.

Alana doesn't really care, because Scott's still kissing her and it sounds like Lola's joined in on beating Alex with pillows.

This, of course, is when Erik walks in.

"Very mature," He says dryly, and Alana and Scott pull apart as Lola and Kiley freeze, pillows still held over Alex.

"This is Marie," Erik nods to the female hovering in the door. "She says she prefers to be called Rogue, so that's what her codename will be. Be NICE," He glares at Alex and Bobby, before laying a hand on Marie's-Rogue's-shoulder and walking out.

"Hello again," Alana smiles, still half in Scott's lap. "These guys are Kiley, Alex, Sean, Bobby, John, Storm, Lola, Alison, and Scott," She points to each one in turn. "You'll meet the other oldies at some point or another, and none of us ever really bother to remember the younger children's names."

"For shame on you to admit that," Kiley laughs, finally removing her pillow from Alex's face.

"Totally true though," Sean says, and they all laugh as Kiley budges over on her couch to make room for Rogue.

The dark-haired female hesitates for like half a second before sinking down onto the cushions, and Alana thinks to herself that that's half the battle.

xxxxxxxxxx

Alex, Sean, and Bobby sort of turn it into a game to see how awkward they can make Jean feel around Logan.

Alana privately thinks it's a bit karma-y to see Jean and Logan tiptoeing around each other until Jean's a bit older, especially since they all just found out that Logan barely remembers anything and that his accelerated regeneration is probably hiding his true age.

"Having his claws would be totally awesome!" Bobby has exclaimed more then once, before mimicking Logan's metal attachments with knives until inevitably Erik comes along to put a stop to that.

As for Rogue, she's taken to the Academy immensely well. Learning about her power had scared most of younger students into not bothering her, but the 'First' and 'Second' classes, as Alex likes to refer to them as, have easily accepted Rogue into their ranks and Alana knows she'll be a great addition to the team once she and Kiley...leave.

The matter manipulator takes a deep breath in, shifting in her meditation pose on the front lawn. She's tried not to think about it lately, but the date until she's officially eighteen is fast approaching.

Alana breathes in, breathes out. She rolls her head back and settles back down.

Scott.

Whatever it is that's going on, this relationship slowly building between them, she doesn't want it to end.

But destiny has other plans in store for her.

And Kiley.

The strawberry mark's almost taunting her in the way it's constantly shifting and changing, although she's seen the X symbol sewn onto every X-Men suit multiple times.

Alana's not afraid to privately admit to herself that she's a bit scared of joining SHIELD. Adventure, mystery, intrigue-it's all well and good when knives and guns aren't in the mix, but this is a whole other matter entirely.

"I can hear you think from all the way inside." And suddenly Kiley's laying next to her, legs sprawled out as she props her head up on top of her crossed arms.

"Gotta put all my affairs into order," Alana says, half-jokingly, and Kiley snorts at her.

"You don't have affairs."

"Just had to ruin my joke," Alana says loudly, falling to lay beside the other strawberry blonde.

"For life," Kiley says seriously, and links the pinkies of their non-marked hands together. "You are stuck with me."

"Quite literally," Alana snorts, and lets her eyes roam up to gaze across the clouds in the skies.

"We're gonna be fine, yeah?" Kiley says, and nudges the matter-manipulator with her elbow. "We got each other."

"Yeah," Alana says, and they let the silence stretch between them.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Congratulations," Charles says, smiling proudly at the six teens seated immediately in front of him on the front lawn. "On graduating from the Xavier Academy, Second Class."

Alana just sighs even as she smiles brightly. If Charles has started calling them 'Second Class', then that means Alex's nicknames for each age class are likely to stick around for a long, long while.

The blonde is sitting off to the side with the other members of First Class, the teachers, the few members of Third Class (Storm, Rogue, and Alison), and even Clint, invited for the occasion. He's smirking, like he's aware of this fact.

"You've all come a long way from when you first started here," Charles says, grabbing Alana's attention once more. "You've been through quite a few many trials, whether it was bullets, the Danger Room, the X-Jet incident in March, or Erik's tests."

Everyone laughs at that, of course, except for Erik himself who just sighs and shakes his head.

"You've all come out as fine young men and women, and have earned a permanent position on the X-Men team. Your codenames will be etched on to the right wall of the War Room and your uniforms will hang with pride in the Super Closet."

Alex really needed to stop nicknaming things.

"Although some of you have different things in store, and some will leave us sooner rather then later, you will always be free to call the Xavier Academy for Gifted Youngsters...home. Congratulations Barricade, Bluebell, Cyclops, Iceman, Phoenix, and Pyro."

Sean starts throwing confetti at them, of course, and Bobby and John instantly start 'celebrating' by making out in front of everyone's eyes, even as Erik starts repeatedly clearing his throat loudly.

"I feel like we should celebrate as well," Scott says, and Alana kisses him like they've never kissed before, and Jean can go fuck herself, really.

Kiley throws herself at Clint, who spins her round and round until she loses the bright yellow graduation hats Raven had managed to procure just for the occasion.

"We did it," Alana says, against Scott's lips, and he just smiles before squeezing her hands tight.

"Now you're all properly graduated and we can get into so much more trouble!" Alex yells excitedly, and Alana can't help but laugh at him.

These people...they are her family.

xxxxxxxxxx

Three months later and they're all back out on the front lawn, for an entirely different occasion.

Four duffle bags are on the ground, packed to the brim with items belonging to Kiley and Alana. They hadn't even bothered to separate their stuff when packing, simply shoving them in the bags.

They've always been good at sharing the unimportant stuff.

"Do us proud," Charles says, and Erik nods in agreement with his statement.

"Course we will Professor," Kiley says, and Alana's already starting to tear up a bit, god damn it.

Alex grabs the matter-manipulator by the shoulders and stares her straight in the eyes. "I still haven't forgiven you."

"I know," She says seriously, and he nods at her, leaning in to press their foreheads together for a few seconds before pulling back.

She slaps high-fives with Bobby, John, and Rogue; gives Storm and Alison hugs. Each teacher passes on a piece of advice except for Janos, who gives her a silver bracelet with BARRICADE etched into it in blue.

Kiley's etching is pink, and predictably says BLUEBELL.

Lola stares at her for a good thirty seconds before pulling her into the tightest bear hug she's ever felt. She presses against Alana's mind and passes on shades of color and brief emotions that make no sense.

"I think you'll need them one day," is all she says before she goes back to Alison.

Scott. Scott's last.

He cups her face carefully with his hands, and Alana smoothes her hands over the inside of his arms, tracing his soulmark carefully and intricately.

He kisses her, brief but sweet, and murmurs, "Come back to me."

"Was never any doubt about it," She promises, unshed tears still gathering in her eyes as she steps away from the circle and back to Kiley, picking up her bags and stuffing them in the back of the taxi.

Kiley slides in first, and Alana spares one last glance at her family before she ducks in and slams the door shut.

It's a cold November morning, and she's just turned eighteen.

In the span of one second, she's gone from being her own person to belonging to SHIELD.

The taxi crunches over the gravel and Kiley says, "Here we go. Bring it on, destiny."

Alana breathes in.

"Bring it on."

~fin~

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. <3 I'd love to hear thoughts on the fic, but of course that's not mandatory. Concrit is always welcome, but please don't just throw hateful comments my way that aren't meant to help me improve.


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